A/N: Thank you for all of the lovely reviews, especially from Darlin, jacpin2002, and Nienna Rose. They've been consistently reading and reviewing from my beginning, and I can't thank you enough for your words! Thank you to Trista 3 and Joyannahamsterovic as well! You beautiful people keep me going. I really need to update on a more regular basis so that I can get through this story, and on to the next. I just don't know when I'll be done with these characters, so please stay along for the ride!

Thank goodness for air conditioning, Storm thought as she wrote down ideas that she could use for next year's lesson plans. She was a mentor, and an occasional combat trainer when they needed her to be. She enjoyed mentoring, because she got to know the students very well, either individually or in small groups. At times combat training was unnerving for her, only because she had to be an example for the large group of children that would stare, taking in every movement and heeding every word. She didn't mind when Logan or Hank, one of her best friends at the Institute joined in on an exercise though. They helped her to relax, and focus on the task at hand.

She hadn't seen Logan in about three days. A couple of times she could see him through the window, making new stone pathways through the grounds or painting fences. She'd brought him out a large canteen of water a couple times, but left it at that. When she got ready to leave her room in the mornings, she would find a different flower or two at the entrance. She would keep them in a vase on her nightstand for a while and pressed them in a book as they were near the end of their lives,

Logan had never stayed this long into the summer, so she wasn't sure if she should give him his space. She still felt guilty because she just knew that she was a major reason as to why he stayed.

"Don't worry, Ororo", Hank said. They were catching up while Hank walked to his lab. "Give him some time. If I know Logan, he'll find you when he's ready."

"Thank you, dear friend", she said with a smile. "If you need any help in the lab today, please just call!" He nodded once and waved her off as he turned the corner and walked towards his office.

It was midday, and summer was in full effect. If anyone went outside- well, they wouldn't go out side because it was a labor just to breathe in the heat wave. Storm was in her greenhouse watering her plants, save the cacti, because they thrived in this kind of weather. She hummed so calmly, forgetting about the misery that was outside. She created a constant breeze without moisture around her to help overcome the heat. When she had enough of it, though, she decided that she needed a different way to handle the weather that didn't involve staying inside. She hurried to her room and packed a bag.

Logan saw Ororo tending to her plants, and decided to leave her alone. He hadn't seen her in a few days, but was appreciative that she wasn't clinging onto him like some of his past flames. But she isn't just a past flame, he thought. He knew she was so much more, and started to feel guilty for not speaking to her. It wasn't that he was ignoring her, he was just into his own thing. He was so focused on repairing the grounds. The heat didn't affect him like the others so he didn't have to speak to anyone, and he could be alone with his thoughts. A few times his thoughts were interrupted by Xavier with new tasks that were needed to be done, which he didn't mind.

As he was repairing some of the rods in the iron gate, he looked up and saw Ororo go quickly inside the Institute, and twenty minutes later he smelled her coming and looked up towards her seeing that she had a large black bag in hand. He raised an eyebrow as she disappeared into the forest, guessing what she was planning to do. He realized that he needed to be with her as soon as possible. He decided he would put his tools away, freshen up, then track her scent to see what she was up to.

Ororo followed the trail that Logan had built for her 2 years ago. She took in every sight and smell that the forest had to offer her, wishing that she could have shared this moment with Logan. She liked to pretend that she knew him thoroughly, but there were still some mysteries that she tried to figure out about him. We all need space at some point, but how much is enough? She pondered over this until she realized that she was thinking about it too much. She was determined to enjoy this venture and to relax under the suns rays. Arriving at her destination, Storm stopped on a small beach situated in front of a lake. The lake was apart of the Professor's land, and was an adequate size for swimming and relaxing. No one used it as often as Ororo did, though. She knelt into the sand. Reaching into her bag, pulled out a towel, and laid it down. Then she took out her one-piece and began to change into it. She was certain that no one was around, and she wasn't concerned anyway, it was just a body.

Knowing his guess was right, he headed to where he knew she was. He could already imagine the way her body moved as she swam, or the way she would smile as she enticed him to join her in the water. With a smirk he continued on, the need to be with her pushing him along the way. He stopped when he saw her. There she was, laying on her towel in the sand, basking in the sun. She didn't have to move a muscle to stop him in his tracks, and it irritated him to no bounds. He took his shirt and jeans off, then moved to sit next to her.

"Hey 'Ro," he said, as if they hadn't spent any time not speaking to each other. She remained calm and opened one eye to make sure it was actually him.

"Logan." She closed her eye again, and relaxed even further against the suns rays. She was so excited that he had found her just as her friend had said he would. She stayed silent to see if he would give her an explanation.

"I saw you walking towards the lake and I thought you could use a little company." She was unresponsive. He rubbed the back of his neck while saying, "Listen, I'm sorry for not saying anything to you these past few days. "You deserve so much better than that. Let me make it up to ya." She laughed.

"Nonsense. I only wanted to see you sweat". She sat up and took one of his hands in both of hers. "It took a little time, but I understand." He sighed.

"You don't know how much I appreciate you understanding all the time, but sometimes I wish you would let me know when I'm being an asshole." She gave him a small laugh, stood up, and walked towards the water.

"Be careful what you wish for, Wolverine." She turned around, hip cocked to the side, and looked at him questioningly. She realized that he already had his clothes off. Instead of asking the obvious, she skipped the question, and instead asked, "Care to join me?"

"You are something else Ms. Munroe."

He started walking towards her and picked her up, closing the distance between them and the water very quickly. She squealed at being caught by surprise yet again and gripped him tightly so that she wouldn't fall—or get thrown into the water. He knew what she was up to, so instead or trying to throw her, he simply dropped, sinking them beneath the water at an alarming rate due to his adamantium-fused skeleton. Ororo pulled away from him and swam towards the surface. When she did, she gasped for air. Logan popped up right after her, and he received a chilly glare which was immediately followed my laughter. She couldn't keep her composure, and she definitely couldn't feign disapproval. She swam to him to cover any distance the water left between them and kissed him deeply. It was his turn to be surprised.

While they weren't necessarily in public, Ororo usually let displays of affection wander in the building when they were alone, or in her greenhouse. It was a testament to her character. She forgave him, and she loved him. Even if they never said it to each other yet, he felt it. He was the luckiest man ever. As he felt her tongue wander into his mouth, he kissed her back and as she held on to him, she put both legs around his middle so that he could anchor them right there. She wished that they could stay there forever. Ororo loved how he touched her, not only physically but also in spirit. He was so rough, and yet so gentle. He had seen so much pain and suffering in all his time living, but he loved her so easily. He was unapologetically himself(except for today, he was especially apologetic), and she respected it to no bounds.

He eased away from her mouth and smirked. She looked away.

"Logan, I am so sorry. I don't know what had come over me. I think-"

"Darlin' didn't you feel me kissin' you right back? I know what came over you. The same thing has come over me too. I'm fine with acting on emotion if you are. I'm fine with being discreet if you are. You don't have to make apologies to me anyway, 'cause it's still my turn to say the 'I'm sorries'." He nudged her and she smiled back at him.

"How do you know the right things to say all the time?" He stopped to think about the right way to answer. He kissed her shoulder, then her neck, and gave her a brief kiss on the lips.

"Let's just say that I'm more tactful around the people I care about."

He tensed for a moment and looked down, his head tucked to his chest. Ororo sighed, knowing her moment in paradise was gone for a while. He looked back up at her.

"Can I come by after dinner and make this up to you? Chuck came by," he said pointing to his head, "and told me to pay him a visit."

"Duty calls", she said unclasping herself from him and swimming away. "Just make sure you come promptly after dinner."

"As you wish your highness, I'll see you soon darlin'."

She gave him her towel to dry off and watched him as he put his clothes back on.

"You comin' 'Ro?" He offered the towel back, which she accepted.

"I planned on staying here a bit longer. I even packed a small lunch. But as you said, 'I'll see you soon, darlin''". She winked at him and he laughed. He pulled her close to kiss her goodbye. Just as he was about to reach her lips, she pulled away in a teasing manner. "Tonight." It was all she had to say to feel that rumble in his chest. He let go before he changed his mind to stay.

"I'll remember that tonight 'Ro, don't worry." That made her more excited than she would ever admit. She watched him walk away while thinking about what had just happened this past afternoon. She had let her guard down, and he accepted it with no question. This was surely going to be an interesting summer.